New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-13
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
RICHARD MANSFIELD AS DIR. JEKYLL AND
MR. HYDE.

RICHARD MANSFlELD AS Dh. JEhILL AMI
MR. HYDE.
It's about two years since Mr.. Robert Louis Steven
sons grotesque and gsy story Of the strangs Case Of
Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde" published in this country
1t soon began to attract attention. 1t Is In every
bodys hands, and everybody may be presumed to know
something about II. As literary composition IL Is
sketchy. fragmentary, almost curtly written, ana
roughly jointed No doubt tho form intended was the
form of the documentary memorandum There are
readers who will think that conception so fine and so
absorbing ought to have been considerably expanded
and symmericay shaped and that its text-which now
reads like first draft-ought to have been carefully re-
written. Nevertheless 1t Is work OF originality and
power and for whchas for all works OF originality
and power, especially In these days Of excessive crt
cism-we ought all to be grateful That such story
should have suggested play Is not surprising Yet IL
purely structure. and its dramatic ele
ments, numerous and uncommonly strong are alias
chemist would say-in solution Facts and Incidents are
merely stated The elimination Of the plot Is reached In
the middle OF the narrative and is then supplemented
with explanation. Perhaps, also. the testimony and
the description would have been truer to human nature
and thus directly In the vein Of tho dramatss had
the author made thoroughly logical Of his
own conception. Perhaps the Dr. Jehylt whom he has
described sort VI man who would be little likely
to take the mystic and ranscendentsl track and turn
into Mr.. Hyde, and perhaps no man,
having once travelled that dark road. could
more narrowing denoements of it-sven in the brief
interval that precedes his ruin and extncton-han
given by the Dr. Jeky Of the book However this may
be- the story has been turned into tragic drama,
which is thoroughly good one-alert with incident,
rapid and cumulative with action various in character
fluent in style, and graphic aud vitality significant In
picture and in meaning. This play was planned and
sketched out by Mr. Richard Mansfield and made and
written by Mr.. Thomas r. Sullivan 1t had its first
representation May at the Museum in Boston. Last
night 1t brought out at the Madison square Theatre
in this city.
The thought upon which Mr. Stevenson built his story
and which likewise Ia made to sustain the fabric OF this
play stated in the words OF the novelist, here ex-
tracted from Or. Jekytrs confession:
saw that. OF the natures that conended In the
field OF my consciousness even could rightly be SAID
to be either, was only because was radically both
/ learned to dwell with pleasure, as be-
ration OF these elements. II each could be housed
In separate Identifies life would DO relieved OF all
the trembling immaeriaiity the misiiko transcience
OF this seemingly solid body in which walk stred
TO pluck back that neshy vestment. even as wind
recognized my natural BODY for the mere aura and efa
geBco OF certain OF the powers that made up my spirit
should be dehroned from their supremacy and second
form and substituted none the less natural
TO because they were the expression and bore the
stamp Of lower elements in my soul"
In the aegorca sense there Is basis OF significant
truth In that fantastic reasoning Human nature is
composite. Human goodness would sink supine In soth
IL there evil in the OF things to compel 1t
actioneyi being the agent in creation which never
rests and cannot rest Many persons no doubt 60
through life without lapsing into vicious
Duct But most persons who from the SUBMITS OF mid
die life look back upon the past aware that they
have sometimes had the consciousness OF evil moods and
Impulses-a tendency In themselves wrong that had
It rpsned wicked acts instead OF ending tho coa
quest OF good bad 1t would have alien
ated them from their better nature, and
thus might almost DO said to have
changed their Identity. whep good man consciously
does wrong for the Time ceased to be his actual
self The man who keeps on consciously doing wrong
must eventually blunt his moral and weaken his
power OF resistance TO evil till at last no becomes In
capable OF reyertng his former state Of virtue. The
old theocgians called this catastrophe the ultimate
triumph OF "orignal SIM Tho wiser scientists of to-
day declare be the temporary predomnanoe OF that
remnant 1.-THE brute In the human which evolution has
not yet entirely oradicatod and cast away
In order to build play upon this analysis minute
allegory OF imagined, embematlo experience. IL was
necessary first reject tho intention to dramatic the
book In such reproduce 1t. and secondly
TO devise schone OF innovation upon the original
There Is narrow order OF the critical mind which, In
case this Sort to ee delight at finding
discrepancies oetw the play and the novel upon which
They exist IN every similar case they are inevitable
is not an actor. although each may treat dramatic
theme novel is not play. although both may relate
The 'h play Exhibits: The novel Is Character
in picture clothed with description, The play char
somebody writes novel dramatic that II can. with
just few touches be turned into play but this
dramatic aspect, can be released Frequently portions
OF it, material must be rejected to make way mate
In dealing with DR. Jeky and Mr.. Hyde" The drama
plan its dramatic situations and Incidents but he
has modified It's characters and displayed them under
changed conditions and he has environed "ths Strange
lasa "A W atmOsnnere dpmssfic
love with the otherwise unreeved and monotonous
investiture OF weirdness and horror.
Tho movement begins In the home OF Sir Danrers
CdTcc who Is present IN company With bis daughter and
their guests. Among tho NJ Unerso and Dr.
La,,yon The time Is evening the scene is one OF
domestic comfort and The theme OF the play Is
In which Hyde and his savage cruelty described
Dr. JskyH comes upon this pale, sad man. for
lorn and wstful whom 1t is instantly observed that
trouble has indescribable blight But Dr. JekyI
aud Agnes Careo the daughter OF Sir Daarers Carsir
soon TO we'd The girl cheers lover and VIII not hear
his sslf-reproachful words. Presently the is
iinger awhile in anecuonate talk OF the past Just as
they have said good night" and are parting the grsly
and sinister figure OF Hyde. emerging from the moon
light gdes into the room, through window the
ssrapS.u maeyoen repa~s seassy in.osp at n
demeanor. horrible In facial expression irritating in
voice loathsome image Of depravlty aud This
wretched reptile coarsely commands the father 20 call
back his daughter and being repealed by the intrepid
maSs him to death The spectacle Is very hdsoas, but
happily 1t 10 Mr.. Mansfield Is artist, and
not inXer upon any point that once Is made.
Tho second consists Of three scenes Hyde Is shown
In his secret lodging where. with bloodcurng ee he
fills cup OF wine and pledges the ghost OF Sir Ddnrers
Cayelc. Mr. Mansfield has wisely and widely deyated
from the novel by surrounding this miscreant with
fuse dsordery luxury-not that Of taste. but that OF
exuberant sensualityjust Ben Jonson indicates for
TOpone and Sir Ep,clus Manno, This shows tho
police In pursuit OF HYDE aud ends with his escape
through door artfully devised within q mirror
Is tered entering the mysterious postern
DR. JekyPs cabinet and there he is accosted by Ur
SON The subsequent scene Is within the
cabinet and Or Jekyi BECOMES the central g
ure Act third Is occupied with the startling in
Dr. LANNON'S wherein yde mixes and swallows his
drug aud Is vsibly transformed into JekyiL In act
fourth DR.. JekyH. mmured In his cabinet and shudder
the OF involuntary transformation into the
brute that turks within him. beseeches Dr. Ldnyon to
bring Agnes beneath the window, so that he can look
upon her face last time. Mr. Mansfield here por
trays dying Jekgi is doomed and his better
nature leave OF all things that good and
lovely this world. The tragedy and the pathos OF IL
are that the parting eternal The girl Is brought but
az tho moment when he looks upon her the transforms
tion Is accomplished and tho ilnbruted Hyde-aware OF